President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned the refurbished Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), marking the full return of Ghana’s only state-owned refinery to operation without any financial bailout from the Government of Ghana.

The commissioning ceremony, held in Tema on Saturday, also marked the processing of one million barrels of Ghana’s Jubilee Field Medium Sweet Crude into refined petroleum products, a major milestone in the refinery’s recovery.

Addressing the gathering, President Mahama said the rehabilitation of the CDU, the restoration of the Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCC), the installation of the new F-61 crude heater and the recommissioning of Boiler Number Eight symbolise far more than engineering achievements.

According to him, the projects demonstrate renewed confidence in Ghana’s industrial capacity and the country’s commitment to investing in strategic infrastructure for future generations.

“Every investment made here strengthens our national resilience. Every improvement in refining capacity reduces our dependence on imported petroleum products,” the President said.

President Mahama noted that the revival of TOR fulfils the vision of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who established the refinery in 1963 under the name Ghana Italian Petroleum Company (GHAIP).

He recounted that Ghana assumed full ownership of the refinery in 1977 after initially operating under a joint arrangement.

“And so, he commissioned it in 1963. At that time, it was called Ghana Italian Petroleum Company (GHAIP), it was not until 1977 that Ghana took over 100 per cent of the shares of this refinery.

“Since then, its history has been cheeky. It has had periods of glory; it has had periods of downturn,” he said.

The President said the refinery’s successful turnaround has disproved the perception that state-owned enterprises are incapable of operating efficiently and can only survive through privatisation.

He revealed that TOR narrowly escaped being leased to a private operator for 15 years under a proposed US$22 million arrangement by the previous administration, crediting the resilience of the refinery’s workforce for preserving the strategic national asset.

“But today, to the glory of God, a very determined Management and Board, very talented and efficient workers, working with strategic partners, has stemmed the fortunes of Tema Oil Refinery around.

“And I must say that this has been done without a single Cedi from the government of Ghana. TOR has achieved all this on their own. The government has not bailed them out. We haven’t put a single Cedi into this rebound,” President Mahama stated.

He commended the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, the Chairman of the TOR Board, Nayon Bilijo, the Managing Director of the refinery, Edmond Kombat, and the entire workforce for what he described as an outstanding achievement.

“Well done, Ayeekoo,” he said.

President Mahama described the occasion as a celebration of Ghana’s determination to revive strategic national assets rather than allow them to deteriorate.

“We are here to affirm that Ghana possesses not only the natural resources, but also the determination, the expertise and the vision to transform those resources into lasting prosperity for our people. Every generation is confronted with defining choices,” he said.

“Some choose the easier path of abandoning institutions when they fall into difficulty. Others choose the more demanding path of rebuilding them, restoring confidence, renewing hope and preparing them to serve future generations yet unborn. Ours has been to deliberately choose the second path.”

The President stressed that sustainable economic growth depends on adding value to Ghana’s natural resources through industrialisation and local production.

“That was the vision that inspired our first President to establish the Tema Oil Refinery more than six decades ago. It remains just as relevant today as Ghana seeks to build a stronger, more competitive and more self-reliant economy,” he said.

Reiterating that the refinery’s recovery had been achieved without government funding, President Mahama said TOR has gained significant momentum in recent months.

He disclosed that since May this year, the refinery has successfully received three separate one-million-barrel consignments of crude oil—Bonga Crude, Baleine Crude and Ghana’s Jubilee Medium Sweet Crude—to support domestic refining.

“And I wish to state again that TOR fully paid for the Ghanaian crude. It was not given to TOR on credits. TOR has fully paid for the crude. This represents a clear statement of the Government’s commitments to ensuring that our petroleum resources increase value and create value here at home,” he added.

In his welcome address, the Managing Director of TOR, Edmond Kombat, said the refinery’s return to operation represents a comprehensive transformation rather than isolated achievements.

He said the completion of outstanding unaudited financial accounts from 2019 to 2025, the successful processing of indigenous Ghanaian crude oil and the restoration of refining operations collectively mark the systematic reset of Ghana’s national refinery.

According to Mr Kombat, the achievements have restored confidence in TOR’s operational capacity and positioned the refinery to play a leading role in strengthening Ghana’s energy security and industrial development.